Column: Library seeks levy to keep service levels

3:55 PM,
Oct. 18, 2013

Ned Heeger-Brehm Community Press Guest Columnist

Written by

Ned Heeger- Brehm
Community Press guest columnist

In 2009, after being hit with additional State funding cuts on top of a decade of declining State funding, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County sought, for the first time ever, a local library levy in order to avoid additional massive cuts to service.

Until that time, we had been the only metropolitan Library in Ohio that received no local tax support. We were tremendously relieved and grateful that Hamilton County voters strongly supported our 1-mill, five-year property tax levy that year.

Since 2009, that 1-mill levy has made up one third of the Library's budget, with the ...